Cuozzo stated Mayor Cusat is going to do a study on the playgrounds. She stated that leaving the money in the grant for this reason is foolish. She said there are two skate parks- Beech and Pine Sts. She said they are all available for the children to use. She questioned if the city has the funds and is currently maintaining the skate parks. She said the Hazleton Area school district does not allow the children to utilize these skate parks during school. She also questioned the insurance cost for a skate ramp. She said moving the money to housing is more advantageous than a skate park. Sosar said there is no school, in the district, for safety reasons, that allows children to play at these skate parks. Mope asked how many people are on the waiting list for housing repairs. Fallon Fermin, Community Development director, said there are currently 19 people on the list. Mundie asked Fermin what kind of repairs the houses need. She said the majority are roofing improvements. Sosar asked Fermin if they all meet the criteria. Fermin said yes. If they don’t meet the criteria, the residents do not go on the waiting list. Fermin said more residents register for the program in either October or November. Mope said using the funds for housing is more important than for a skate park.

Gavio said both programs are good for the community. He said the playgrounds need to be patrolled by the police. He said the playgrounds are important in providing activity for the children. Mope stated before the city invests in equipment, the playgrounds need fencing. She said the streets department should open up the playgrounds in the morning and then close the playground in the evening. She also said recent drug activity at the playgrounds is ruining the programs for the younger children. She also said the police could be better utilized somewhere else than patrolling the playgrounds. Mope asked Fermin where the grant money is for the East End playground. Fermin stated the grant request was sent in August, 2016 and received October, 2016. She said it is going to be installed in 2017. She said the DCNR grant will also go towards the East End playground project. She said she does not know when the project will be started. Fermin said Alfred Benesch is the director of this project. Fermin said the total grant money for the East End project is $90,000. She said there is $7,000 left in the East End CDBG fund account. Gavio said the seniors and the youth utilize the school district track for exercising. He said the school district leaves it open for the public and is great for the community. Mope said it would be nice for an area in the community for the seniors to walk. Cuozzo stated there are two skate parks in the city. Mundie said the council should discuss, with the school district, utilizing the paved parking lots for skate parks. Gavio stated the town of Beaver Meadows has a beautiful playground set up. He said it is patrolled by the police.

Presented by Cuozzo. Seconded by Sosar.

Roll Call: Cuozzo- yes; Gavio- no; Mope- yes; Sosar- yes, Mundie- yes

RESOLUTION PASSES 4-1

Comments from Council: Cuozzo asked Fermin what money is available in CD’s for the city street repairs. She said about $30,000 is left in the fund. She said when the 2017 money is received, she said it will be over $100,000 for 2017. Fermin said she is waiting for the allocation amount and then approval of the budget. Mope asked if there will be money in CD’s for paving. She said yes, once the budget is approved. Fermin said the city cannot use the money for potholes but can be utilized for paving. Fermin stated $155,000 is budgeted for the 2017 Street Improvement Project.

Sosar stated with the recent blizzard, the potholes have increased. He said he wants to see the city utilize the street machines using the milling to fill the potholes. Mope said the city has a pothole machine that uses recycled paving material. She said the water, sewer and gas departments has the leftover material. She said the machine was purchased with grant money. Mope said the streets are in poor shape. She said using the pothole machine is beneficial in street pothole repairing. She said the city of Kingston also uses the same machine with positive results.

Cuozzo said she requested, from Mayor Cusat and city administration, the bid bond in purchasing additional heavy equipment for removing snow but council did not receive this. Council asked Eileen Matenkoski, city clerk, to obtain the contract for the bid bond to reduce the cost to the city. She stated she will send a letter to the mayor and administrators for the contract.